History

Id

4383

Issue Id

0

Title

GE unveils prototype drone at Oil, Gas Center grand opening

Author Id

0

Author Name

UAS Magazine Staff

Summary

Post Type

2

Body

At the grand opening of its Oil & Gas Technology Center in Oklahoma City, GE unveiled several new projects, including work to develop a prototype drone nicknamed Raven. The multi-rotor platform has been designed to perform predetermined autonomous flights to inspect oil, gas and wastewater gathering lines for GE Oil & Gas upstream clients.

The small drone was designed so that field personnel could operate the system if necessary regardless of background. A ground-based telecommunications systems deployed by GE will allow data collected from flight to be connected to analysts around the world.

Sensor packages outfitted on the platform can detect fugitive methane and gas emissions from well sites and other upstream infrastructure designed to move or store hydrocarbons in liquid or gas form. Southwestern Energy, a major gas production firm and client of GE, tested the platform over well sites located in Arkansas in July.